The erasing process of memories of this type typically takes from 10 to 30 minutes of ultraviolet irradiation. The exposure time is widely variable even for ROMs taken from the same production runs. According to the known art, a separate erasing device is used for mounting the ROM chips while they are being exposed to the UV radiation. After radiation the chips are taken to a programming device connected to a control circuit, usually a computer, which loads the new data into the ROM chips.
The process is slow and requires much handling of the chips with resulting loss of components, breakage, mistakes and exposure to static voltage damage to the chips.
The instant invention overcomes the problem of programming E.sup.2 ROM chips according to the known erasing and reprogramming method and apparatus.